The World’s Oldest Exercise: How to Make the Most of Walking

Decades of research confirms the powerful impact walking – human beings’ oldest form of exercise – can have on physical and emotional health, as well as longevity and overall well-being. Current U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommendations reflect that consensus, with the government advising American adults to put in at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. That comes to just more than 20 minutes per day.

Walking is by far the most popular way to log those minutes for the simple reason it is so convenient. Walking requires no specialized equipment, features an attractive social aspect and, let’s face it, involves a skills set most people develop as infants. That said, there are steps – so to speak – you can take to
maximize your enjoyment of walking and your walk’s benefits to your health.

Wear Proper Shoes: You might think any old pair of shoes will do for your neighborhood stroll, but that is certainly not the case. The reality is that walking is exercise and as such requires shoes with enough sole and arch support to ward off joint pain. And even if you have the right footwear, be aware that support diminishes over time and miles. If your shoes are older than six months and appear a bit beat up, it is time to invest in a new pair.

Warm Up, Cool Down: As stated, walking is a form of exercise and, as such, it is always smart to warm up a bit before getting underway. This will help prevent injuries, improve mobility and enable you to walk with greater ease. So stretch a bit before hitting the road, focusing as you do so on your ankles, knees and hips. Likewise, be prepared to cool down over the final five minutes of your walk, slowing your pace and taking time to stretch your hamstrings and calves.

Fast, Slow, Fast Slow: One sure way to make your walks more interesting, as well as to strengthen their health impact, is to alternate your pace. For example, you may want to walk one minute slow then one minute fast, an approach that will give you enough time to recover before that next fast interval. Feel free to play around with the time intervals to determine what feels most comfortably challenging to you.

Pump Those Arms: Why should your legs and respiratory system have all the fun? Something as basic as vigorously swinging your arms engages the core and upper-back muscles while also propelling you to walk faster. To maximize the effect, consider swinging small hand weights in the process.

Climb Those Hills: We all know walking up a hill is far more intense than on flat ground, which is so many of us opt for the latter. The reality, however, is that the climb can do wonders for you, delivering greater health benefits and, in some cases, providing an opportunity to get off the sidewalk and into nature. While making the climb, you might feel the need to lean forward but do not go too far, as this can place too much pressure on the joints. Instead, maintain an upright posture as much as possible; keep your shoulders over your hips and your hips over your ankles.

At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.